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Millennium Village
The Millennium Village was located in Epcot and was the centerpiece of Disney's Millennium Celebration. The 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) pavilion opened up its doors to the public on October 1, 1999 and was closed down on January 1, 2001. It is still used on occasion. Along with the Odyssey Restaurant, the Millennium Village (now named World Showplace) is used in the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Pre-Show The pre-show area had a presentation which would run throughout the day. The presentation would give the guests an introduction to the countries represented in the pre-show area. At the beginning of each presentation the following announcement would be given: : "Welcome to Millennium Village. To help us celebrate this moment in time, we've invited our friends from around the globe to join us. They have come to share with you stories of their accomplishments and dreams. These are their gifts to the world. Please join them now as we begin our celebration." Then a Cast Member from each of the countries would present themselves in the following order: *'Ethiopia' - "We are here to celebrate the traditions of every nation. It is from tradition that we are building the rich tapestry of world cultures. These gifts are our legacy." *'India '- "We celebrate our differences. And as we share different cultures, we learn to respect the richness that diversity adds to the world. These gifts enrich us." *'Kenya '- "We celebrate the children of the world. Their laughter is the music of life. Their gifts bring us joy." *'New Zealand' - "We celebrate the explorers. These brave men and women who have courageously sought to expand our horizons and our knowledge. Their gifts challenge us." *'Indonesia '- "We celebrate the artists of the world. By sharing their great imagination and knowledge they add beauty and mystery to our lives. Their gifts inspire us." *'South Africa' - "We celebrate the thinkers, the men and women who have shared their ideas to shape nations, philosophies, and beliefs. Their gifts enlighten us." *'Israel '- "We celebrate those who preserve our past. Through their efforts we build the foundation for our future. Their gifts guide us." *'Namibia '- "We celebrate each of you, your dreams, your efforts, and your accomplishments will become our destiny. Please help us celebrate the future hand in hand." The show would end with the following announcement: : "We invite you to cross the threshold to the future where you will discover many more gifts and meet new friends from around the globe." Interactive Exhibits Brazil Brazil's display would allow guests a view into the Amazon Rain Forest where guests could experience the native sounds of a rain forest. Guests could also play a game that showed why Brazilians view soccer as their national sport. It also gave guests an over view of Carnaval, one of the largest and colorful celebrations. Chile The Chile display gave guests an overview of harvesting fog through a system of nets that convert it into drinking water and for crops. Guests were also given an overview of the country's crops, vineyards, ranchlands, and forests. The ambassadors for Chile dressed as huasos (Chilean cowboys) and would wear a sombrero de huaso. Easter Island (Chile) The Easter Island display was called the Moai of Peace, and allowed guests a close-up look at the re-creations of the massive stone carvings on Easter Island. The display was part of the Chilean display. Eritrea At the Eritrea display, guests would be involved in the historic and traditional coffee ceremony that was done in the ancient East African nation. Eritrea is a premium coffee grower and has a rich history in coffee. Expo 2000 Projects The Expo 2000 Projects was a display of eight exhibits from the World's Fair 2000 in Hannover, Germany. The project showed how the eight nations help each other improve the quality of life for their population. Ethiopia, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Namibia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa were involved. Israel The entrance to the Israel display was paved with real stones from the streets of Jerusalem. Also at the display, guests could take a virtual trip through 3,000 years of Jerusalem's history. Guests could also send a message to the Western Wall by computer. Guests could also see a demonstration of a pen that could translate Hebrew into English. It also included a simulator ride that simulated a historic ride throughout Israel and Jerusalem. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia's display would take guests on a virtual reality tour of the country and its population. The ambassadors would also tell stories about how the kingdom is both modern and traditional. Guests could also play interactive games that gave them a fun way to learn about the country. Scotland Scotland's display allowed guests to play a round of miniature golf where they would learn about Scottish inventions as they played. Guests would learn about inventions from anesthesia to breakthroughs in lasers. Guests could also take a virtual tour of Scotland voiced by Robert Burns, a Scottish poet. Tartans that the ambassadors would wear were designed for the decommissioned Royal Yacht Britannia which is now in Scotland. Sweden At the Swedish display, there were four 27-foot (8.2 m) eggs that represented each of the four seasons in Sweden. The final egg, which represented winter, had an actual snowman in it. Around the eggs were interactive displays about modern Sweden and Swedish inventions, such as the computer mouse and pacemaker. This display was also at the 1998 World's Fair in Lisbon. Village Green The Village Green allowed guests to follow plants from seeds, growth, harvest, use, mulching, and fertilization. The display would allow guests to understand renewability. World Showplace Theater The World Showplace Theater was a 250-seat theater located in Millennium Village. Entertainers from around the world performed in the World Showplace throughout the 15-month celebration. The Gift of Cuisine The Millennium Village cafe, called The Gift of Cuisine, featured culinary creations from all the continents of the earth. Eight regional kitchens were represented, featuring special recipes and dishes typical of many countries of the world, from the subtle tastes of the Orient to spicy Africa, from favorites of Latin America to Europe's continental cuisine and the bold and color tastes representing the Caribbean. The food court contributed to the main purpose of the Village by sharing culture through "the breaking of bread." The World Culture Game The World Culture Game was a quiz show, hosted by Cast Members representing the U.N. The game consisted of the following teams: *The Dominos *The Checkers *The Pawns *The Aces *The Marbles *The Horseshoes *The Knucklebones Each team had a globe with six buttons on it. The object of the game was to match pictures shown on the main screen with the answer to the question. The contestant would then press the corresponding button. The game lasted three rounds, plus a bonus round. For a correct answer you would get 50 points in the first round, 100 points in the second round, and finally 250 points in the third round. Finally, the bonus round was worth 500 points. Furthermore, there was an added bonus for answering first, which meant that you would score double points. In addition to the game, the main screen would also display a five-minute presentation presented by the World Bank. The presentation told the story of three projects which showcased the World Bank's mission to promote opportunities for all people to prosper and improve their lives. Sources & External Links *Wikipedia Category:Former attractions Category:Former Epcot attractions Category:Former World Showcase attractions Category:Former Walt Disney World attractions